Wonder—5+ Stars

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Like most elementary teachers, certain books became annual reads in my classroom. It would seem a disservice not to share those books with a whole new crop of children. Of course, choosing age-appropriate books is critical. Literature included stories I read to my students, with my children, and books they read independently. When I read to kids, I often chose books a couple of years above their reading levels. It was one of the best ways to build vocabulary. Children are no different than adults—they like sophisticated literature with stimulating plots. I loved hearing those magical words while reading: “Don’t stop!” Kids will not say that unless they’re engaged in the story. A teacher develops a feel like a fish on a line with their students. One of the best feelings a teacher gets is when they’re begging for book recommendations. “Can I go to the library, Mr. Springer?”

Each time we begin a book, we embark on a new adventure, knowing that the story may be life-changing, terrible, or somewhere in between. Part of the excitement is the thrill of occasionally reading a story that stays with us long after we read it. Wonder fits into that category. This book is not new (2012), but I had never read it until this year. I’m not the only one who loves it, as the 80,000+ reviews on Amazon are almost all positive. https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-R-J-Palacio/dp/0375869026

While Accelerated Reader gives this book a 4.8 (end of 4^th grade) reading level, I recommend it for grades 4-6. (Amazon says grades 3-7) The story is sometimes gut-wrenching but always compelling. One doesn’t have to be a child to be moved by a good story. I loved this book so much that I’m reading it to seniors in assisted living right now. I’ve been reading stories to them for a year, and many have told me it’s their favorite book thus far.

Character chart for seniors at assisted living

August (Auggie) is starting 5^th grade in a new school. As anyone who’s faced this scenario can attest, that can be a frightening experience. But Auggie’s challenges go far beyond most children as this is his first in-school experience. Not expected to live as an infant, he’s now ten years old. Yet, Auggie’s life has been anything but ordinary. He’s had 27 surgeries to correct his facial abnormalities and has been in and out of the hospital so much that attending a traditional school has been unrealistic. His mom has been the only teacher he’s ever known.

Like most children, Auggie wants to be “normal.” He’s tired of the stares and the double takes, even from adults who should know better. Like all parents, Auggie’s mom and dad wrestle with what is best for their child. After much debate, they enroll him in Beecher Prep, a well-respected private school. To make the transition easier, the caring director, Mr. Tushman, suggests Auggie come by in the summer for a visit to help him feel more comfortable and familiarize himself with the school. Mr. Tushman enlists the help of three students (Jack, Julian, and Charlotte) to show Auggie around. While Jack and Charlotte have kind hearts, Julian is what I would describe as the Eddie Haskell type for those familiar with the old TV sitcom, Leave it to Beaver. He acts one way around adults, but his true self comes out when he’s around other children. He becomes a chief thorn in Auggie’s life.

One of the interesting stylistic choices that author R.J. Palacio makes is to tell Auggie’s story through multiple points of view. While part of the book is through Auggie’s lens, the chapters are equally powerful from other characters. Via, Auggie’s older sister, describes what it’s like to be the older sibling to a brother with congenital disabilities. She’s going through her challenges starting high school. While she’s always been the best older sister, she wrestles with finding her identity rather than being labeled “the girl who has a deformed brother.” Besides Auggie, my favorite character is Summer. She’s the girl who sees Auggie sitting by himself at lunch on the first day of school and leaves her peer group to be with him—an incredibly compassionate and courageous act for someone her age.

As expected, Auggies’s school year is a series of complex challenges as it takes time for other kids to realize he isn’t so different than them. Besides the prominent “don’t judge a book by its cover” theme, there are many valuable lessons for kids. I don’t want to give much more of the plot away, but this story is not just for children. One of the most moving scenes comes near the end during graduation ceremonies when Mr. Tushman reads this powerful passage from the book The Little White Bird by the Scottish novelist J.M. Barrie to the students: “Shall we make a new rule of life . . . always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?”

It’s hard to quibble with just about anything with this fantastic read, but I’ll mention two minor points:

1. Auggie’s mother and father are model parents throughout the entire story. I would have found them more realistic if they weren’t always perfect. It would have been more believable if the author had given them some minor flaws. Is every parent patient 100% of the time? Do we always exhibit flawless self-control, particularly when someone is intentionally mean to our children?
2. The book opens with a small amount of what I’d call “kid humor.” Having taught in grades 2-6, I know some of this will appeal to children (particularly upper elementary boys), but I’m glad the author didn’t follow this theme throughout. There wasn’t anything completely inappropriate, but I was grateful the author limited jokes about farting and making fun of Mr. Tushman’s last name to a minimum.

One of the fascinating things about writing is understanding why an author chose to compose a fictional story about a particular subject. In the author’s notes, we learn that for over twenty years, Palacio was an editorial director, art director, and graphic designer working on books for others. After having a random encounter with a remarkable child in front of an ice cream shop, she felt compelled to write this story.

I’m not often moved to tears when reading a story, but this book is a tearjerker, mainly because of its compelling nature and memorable characters. I’ve read around 100 books (both for adults and children) in the last year, and I’d put this one in the top three. I highly recommend this story if you’re looking for an outstanding book dealing with critical themes (perseverance, courage, determination, peer pressure, empathy, kindness, and being your own person) for children.

R.J. Palacio—Author of Wonder (Photo from Pinterest)